The son of the mountains and forests brings musical instruments made from bamboo and rattan to "go abroad"

Artisan Ro Cham Tih (born in 1973, residing in Jut 1 village, Ia Der commune, Ia Grai district, Gia Lai) is famous throughout the Central Highlands villages for his talent in making unique traditional musical instruments from bamboo, reed, stone... and his passion for inspiring traditional music.

Up to now, artisan Ro Cham Tih has owned hundreds of traditional musical instruments made from bamboo. He also created and improved many unique traditional musical instruments in Vietnam.

Artisan Ro Cham Tih, a son of the mountains and forests, brings bamboo musical instruments "abroad"

Sharing with reporters, Mr. Tih confided: “When I was a child, I often saw my father using bamboo and rattan to create musical instruments because no one could regularly carry gongs to the fields. Thanks to that, when sleeping on my mother's back, I was soon exposed to all the traditional musical instruments of the Jrai people. I myself grew up thanks to the sound of gongs, cymbals and the melodies of the Central Highlands. The sound of bamboo, rattan, howling wind, flowing waterfalls or chirping birds were all incorporated into all traditional musical instruments by our people.”

Growing up, the Jrai boy Ro Cham Tih did not go out with his friends but only hung around with the village elders to listen to music and learn how to make traditional musical instruments. Growing up surrounded by the sounds of the gong, the gông glơh, and the Bru flute, from a young age Ro Cham Tih showed his talent for traditional music.

With his talented and skillful hands, Ro Cham Tih has turned bamboo and rattan into famous traditional musical instruments.

In particular, with his talented and skillful hands, he has turned bamboo into famous traditional musical instruments such as: T'rung, Goong, K'long But or Ting ning... Thanks to this passion, Ro Cham Tih has had the opportunity to bring traditional musical instruments to perform around the world.

“Almost all the musical instruments I make are made from bamboo. I think that making musical instruments from nature will most authentically express the sound it creates. Therefore, I always try my best to preserve and develop these instruments,” artisan Ro Cham Tih shared.

From his passion for music, artisan Tih brought his handmade musical instruments to register for many competitions. His first competition was in 1997. At the National Mass Arts Festival in Hue, he performed the folk song “Jrai Moonlit Night” with his T'rung instrument and won a gold medal.

After turning bamboo into traditional musical instruments, artisan Ro Cham Tih brought these traditional musical instruments around the world to perform.

As one of the most successful artisans in Gia Lai in preserving and developing ethnic musical instruments, Ro Cham Tih represents Gia Lai province artisans to perform in all provinces and cities across the country.

Not only performing domestically, the son of the Central Highlands also brings bamboo musical instruments “overseas”. He regularly participates in the Vietnam National Art Troupe to perform in many countries such as: Netherlands, Australia, Germany, England…

Accordingly, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United Kingdom in 2013, artisan Ro Cham Tih was present in the Vietnamese art troupe that went to the United Kingdom to perform.

Ro Cham Tih is performed by Gia Lai province's artists in all provinces and cities in and outside the country.

Artisan Ro Cham Tih confided: “When I performed in countries such as Australia, Finland, Cambodia, the UK… people were very surprised that bamboo pipes could produce a piece of music. It sounded like the sound of a waterfall, a stream, or the wind. International friends were all amazed and wanted to pay to own these musical instruments as souvenirs. Many people also came to my house to buy and ask to learn the musical instruments of the Central Highlands.

In every performance, I always keep in mind the preservation of national culture in the face of modern life. I hope that future generations will continue to preserve the craft of making national musical instruments and preserving the culture. I am willing to teach to preserve this cultural beauty.

In early 2023, artisan Ro Cham Tih performed in Sydney (Australia) at the invitation of the charity music program "One Mother, Hundred Children" to raise funds to support charity classes, initiated by a group of kind-hearted overseas Vietnamese here. In September 2023, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Gia Lai province established a group of 14 people, including artisan Ro Cham Tih, to attend the 22nd World Sound Festival in Korea.

With his contributions, in 2015, artisan Ro Cham Tih was honored to receive a Certificate of Merit from the President of the State, awarding him the title of Meritorious Artisan for folk performing arts. In addition, he has also won many Gold and Silver medals after competitions and performances around the world. This is the motivation for artisans like Ro Cham Tih to nurture and inspire the love of traditional culture for the next generations.

Article and photos: Tran Hien

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nguoi-con-cua-nui-rung-mang-nhac-cu-tu-tre-nua-di-xuat-ngoai-post284468.html